The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device including an illumination unit.
Recently, as the characteristics of liquid crystal display devices have been improved, the range of application of liquid crystal display devices has increased. When liquid crystal display devices are used in toys, clocks, clerical machines, terminal units, automobiles, etc., it is necessary to provide an illumination device which is operable for long periods of time, which has a relatively large panel area, and which is decorative and efficient.
A liquid crystal display device having a backlight unit with a small lamp has been employed for wristwatches. The backlight for such a wristwatch display is used to illuminate the face of the watch to make it possible to read the time at night. Conventional types of backlights for liquid crystal display devices are not fully satisfactory in brightness, illumination intensity uniformity and decorative effect. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a liquid crystal display device with a backlight which satisfies the above-described requirements, is thin, highly efficient and can be manufactured at a low cost.